Improvement in children s carriages



. F. W. WHITNEY.

Childrens Carriages.

Patented Aug. 3,187 5.

mavens. rnorolurnocnmen. WAS

UNITED STATES PATEJlQrFIcE;

FRANCIS W. WHITNEY, OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO F. A. WHITNEY CARRIAGE COMPANY, OF SAME'PLAOE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHILDRENS CARRIAG ES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,237, dated August 3, 1875 5 application filed May 14, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANCIS W.'WHITNEY, of Leominster, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Childrens Carriages; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents in perspective a childs carriage, having the body or drawer slightly drawn out, as when elongating the body of the carriage to form a couch. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal section through the carriage. Fig. 3 represents in perspective, and detached from the carriage, the reversible handle attachment for pushing or pulling the carriage either end foremost.

My invention relates to the combination of a handle pivoted tothe reach of the carriage, so as to swing freely past the body thereof, a bail or bent bar pivoted to said handle, and a latch or catch pivoted to said bail or bar for reversing the handle, and fastening it in either of its reversed positions. It also relates to the combination of the holes in or angles of the hinged bail or bar with the hooks or catches at each of the ends, or nearly so, of the carriage, so that the bail or bar may be locked against rising when the handles are used for raising up the carriage to pass or mount obstructions.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe the same with reference to the-drawings.

There may be connected with the body A of the carriage a drawer, B, which may be drawn out to elongate the body of the carriage when the occupant is to be placed in a reclining posture, and which may be slid back when in a sitting position. This drawer moves in ways or guides in the sides of the body A, and in nowise interferes with or obstructs the interior of the body for any of its uses or purposes. A seat can be provided at one end of the body, in the usual well-known way, and be removable, when so desired, whenthe body is to be converted into acouch. There is also a back-support for a pillow to rest against; or the seat, back, and arm supports may be upholstered in whole or in part, to suit the fancy or convenience of the users.

I have shown the arm-supports O as made removable upon the permanent parts D, for the purpose of more closely packing or nesting the bodies for transportation, or to shift them to other bodies. The'parts 0 move in guides or grooves in or on the parts D, so as to retain them in proper position on the sides of the body.

The body A of the carriage is supported upon the axles a a of the running-gear through the medium of springs 11, and c c are the two reaches which couple the axles together. To the reaches 0 c are pivoted, as at d, the two arms 6 e, which are united at their free ends by a bar or rung, f, which, together with the arms 6 e, constitute the handle by which the carriage is drawn or pushed. The arms 6 being outside of the body of the carriage are free, when not otherwise restrained, to swing to or from either end of the body to. the opposite end, so as to draw or push the carriage either end foremost. To the arms 0, at a point, 9, thereon, is pivoted the ends of the bent bailshaped bar h, (better seen in Fig. 3,) which swings underneath the body of the carriage as the handles are reversed from one end of the body to the other and centrally upon this bent bar or bail, as at 2', there is pivoted a latch or catch, j, that drops or'er and catches upon the under part of the spring, or, in the absence of springs, upon a catch-iron secured to the axle, or near thereto, so as to hold the handles or handle in position while drawing or pushing the carriage by said handle; and to further lock the handle in position, and to admit of its being used to raise up the wheels to pass any eminence or obstruction, there are two holes or eyes, m m, made at the bends or angles of the bar h, which, as said bar is swung into position to allow the latch or catch j to take over its keeper, take in the two hooks n a on the reaches or upon the axles, one set of hooks being arranged at or near each end of the pair of reaches, or upon the axles, so as to thus fasten the handle at each end of the carriage, and these hooks hold the handle to the carriage when said handle is used for raisingup the carriage to pass any obstruction or elevation, or to lower it after so passing. The latch and the hooks and eyes are I self-acting, or may be so to a great extent but the latch alone would not hold the handle in place while lifting the carriage up to pass obstructions, as stated. Instead of the hooks taking into the eyes or holes on m, which I prefer, they may catch over the corners or angles of the bail,

and so hold without the holes or eyes; butthe latter are preferable.

I am aware that reversible handles for childrens carriages have long been used, and of course I do not claim such handles per se, my invention relating more essentially to the appliances or attachments by which I readily detach, reverse, and secure such handles to the carriage.

Having thus fully described my invention, "what I claim is- 1. In combination with the reversible handies 0, the bar It, pivoted to said handles, and r and for the purpose described.

FRANCIS W. WHITNEY.

Witnesses: (J. H. MERRIAM, A. B. STOUGHTON. 

